Loci associated with charcoal rot drought complex tolerance in soybean

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and compositions for identifying soybean plants that are tolerant, have improved tolerance or are susceptible to Charcoal Rot Drought Complex. The methods use molecular genetic markers to identify, select and/or construct tolerant plants or identify and counter-select susceptible plants. Soybean plants that display tolerance or improved tolerance to Charcoal Rot Drought Complex that are generated by the methods of the invention are also a feature of the invention. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of identifying a first soybean plant or germplasm that displays tolerance, improved tolerance, or susceptibility to Charcoal Rot; the method comprising
 (a) detecting in the first soybean plant or germplasm at least one allele of a quantitative trait locus that is associated with the tolerance, improved tolerance, or susceptibility to Charcoal Rot; wherein the quantitative locus is:
 a chromosomal interval located at about 5 cM to about 26 cM of chromosome 15; 
   (b) selecting the first soybean plant or germplasm, or selecting a progeny of the first soybean plant or germplasm; and   (c) crossing the selected first soybean plant or germplasm with a second soybean plant or germplasm to introgress the quantitative trait locus into progeny soybean germplasm.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quantitative trait locus is localized at a chromosomal interval of about 15.25 cM to about 15.75 cM of chromosome 15. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a marker locus of the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 15 is S29725-001. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a marker locus of the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 15 is S29742-001. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a marker locus of the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 15 is S29741-001. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 15 is flanked by and including S29725-001 and S29741-001. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 15 is flanked by and including S29725-001 and S29742-001. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second soybean plant or germplasm displays less tolerance to Charcoal Rot as compared to the first soybean plant or germplasm, and wherein the introgressed soybean plant or germplasm displays an increased tolerance to Charcoal Rot as compared to the second plant or germplasm. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising
 a) analyzing progeny soybean germplasm to determine the presence of tolerance to Charcoal Rot; and   b) selecting progeny soybean germplasm that tests positive for the presence of tolerance to Charcoal Rot as being soybean germplasm into which germplasm having said quantitative trait locus has been introgressed.   
     
     
         10 . A introgressed soybean plant or germplasm produced by the method of  claim 7 .